The invention relates generally to welded parts, and more particularly to welded parts such as brackets on a truck frame, including a weld arrangement configured to improve strength and fatigue properties of the welded part.
A motor vehicle frame generally includes a pair of spaced apart side rails which extend the length of a vehicle and which are connected by laterally extending cross members to form a rigid structure. Various parts, such as body mount brackets for example, are welded to the side rails. A typical body mount bracket is generally shaped as an inverted U and includes a pair of spaced apart vertical side legs or walls and a horizontal top wall. The body mount bracket is welded to the side rail by applying a weld bead along the outer periphery of the U, terminating the weld bead about one quarter inch or more before reaching the lower ends of the bracket side walls.